Hello everyone,

I’m a brand new MM6 user (and quite a happy one) with absolutely NO experience in the field of both keyboards / synths and in the field of… playing them! That’s because I’m a guitar player who’s always wanted to learn some keyboards. Therefore please forgive my naïve questions… but do appreciate my effort to learn a new instrument! I wanted something that didn’t drive me crazy, that had a lot of vintage sounds and that could also do some basic synth type things and this seemed quite good for me.

First questions: I’d just like to know exactly which of the sounds which you find in the brackets (Mellotron, Rhodes, Hammond, Farfisa, Moog) correspond to which sound (couldn’t they have called them with their names like they did for Wurlitzer?). There are quite a few organ presets which sound like the Rhodes to me…
Maybe some of those aren’t even there, then my question is: can I download them somewhere and load them into the MM6?

A problem that I have is with the Master Volume: right now I’m using headphones and the volume is kind of low in my opinion, especially with some organs. Is this hopeless or can I do anything about it? Also I noticed that there’s a volume decrease when I apply a phaser effect from the DSP section to the Wurli Amped sound (I was trying to nail the Led Zepp No Quarter tone, any suggestions?).

Other tones I’d like to get are the organs also from Led Zepp in the Physical Graffii album like in the songs “In the light” (both the initial cool synth and the organ in the mid of the song) and the organ / electric piano in “Down by the seaside”.

I hope you guys won’t think I’m a bit of a vintage freak and maybe I didn’t get the right keyboard…

Last question: I have a lot of effect pedals for my guitars. I suppose I can use them between the line out and a cabinet, can’t I? What about with earphones? I guess not…

Thanks in advance for your help and support!
Lorenzo (from Italy)

Re: ADVICE NEEDED

First questions: I’d just like to know exactly which of the sounds which you find in the brackets (Mellotron, Rhodes, Hammond, Farfisa, Moog) correspond to which sound (couldn’t they have called them with their names like they did for Wurlitzer?). There are quite a few organ presets which sound like the Rhodes to me…

No, strangely enough you cannot just call them by their names… I heard that some company sued another over that and since that time no one does… You see the name Wurlitzer in your unit? I doubt it. Probably says something like cute like “Wurli"…

It is assumed (and the older I get the more I realize there are many that never heard the real things)… it is assumed that people know these instruments by their very characteristic sound… Entitling the synth Voice is legally risky - after all these are only incredible simultations and not the real thing.

(there are exceptions to the name rule - like when one company buys another… usually then they own the name)


Here is a start - I have not gone through every sound so I’m sure I’m missing many… because the actual names cannot be used (legally) there is always some clever hint in the name…

Rumored to be Rhodes pianos are:
Sweetness, Chorus EP, 80th Boost, Early 70’s, Vintage ‘74, Vintage Case, Cool! Suitcase EP.

“Sweetness” was a classic Richard Tee Rhodes sound (the band was “Stuff” with Steve Gadd, Chris Parker, etc., etc.), Vintage ‘74 another classic Rhodes - just about the time people felt they finally got it right. C’mon “Suitcase EP” anyone could guess that’s a Rhodes Suitcase, no?

Rumored to be Hammond organs are:
Vintage C, C Vibrato, Mellow, Bright Organ, Cool! Organ, Cool! Rotor Organ, Jazz Organ, Click Organ, 16’+2’ Organ, 16’+4’ Organ, 16’+2’2/3 Organ, Progressy, Rock Percussive, Rock Vibrato, Rock Organ

“Vintage C” Although the B3 got the big reputation as “THE” Hammond, the C3 was the full furniture piece… You see the B3 was “portable” - well, as portable as any 425 pound keyboard could be… the C3, well, no one lifted a C3...!!! So although you cannot tell a B3 from C3 blindfolded, you could if you tried to lift them.

Rumored to be Farfisa (and some may be Vox Continentals or the other vintage combo/compact organs… not my bag back then, I wanted a Hammond!!!):
1967 Keys, Sea Horse, Compact, Saw Combo

Mellotron:
Tron Strings (obviously), and Tron Flute

Notorious for the 8 second envelopes. You had just 8 seconds of tape in that loop...!!!

Moog:
Anything with “mini” in the name are definitely (rumored to be) MiniMoogs… there are probably too many to list that are lead synth sounds.

I’m sure I missed many… but What was sampled to make the sounds is important from a historical standpoint - and less important from a musical standpoint… Choose the sound based on whether it fits what you are doing.

Hope that helps some

Re: ADVICE NEEDED

Good one Bad_M.
I’ve always liked “Sweetness” but never realized it was a Rhodes. It must have been a pretty tricked - out and heavily processed one. Do you have any idea what kind of set up Richard Tee was running?

Thanks,

Bob

Re: ADVICE NEEDED

Ober= Oberheim. Err, rumored to be.

Lucky- sounds like a song by ELP with a similiar name.

Mr. Finger= I am guessing rumored to be Mr. Mister.

Re: ADVICE NEEDED

I’ve always liked “Sweetness” but never realized it was a Rhodes. It must have been a pretty tricked - out and heavily processed one. Do you have any idea what kind of set up Richard Tee was running?

I believe it was one of those MuTron Bi-Phase Shifter things...(see attachment) classic - of course, a Rhodes Suitcase with “Vibrato” which was really auto panning…

Re: ADVICE NEEDED

Oh yeah. I remember those. Back in the ‘70s I played with a sax player who used one. I had a Mutron III at the time which produced some pretty wild synthesizer-like effects for the time.

Thanks,

Bob

Re: ADVICE NEEDED

hello
thanks a lot for the super useful hints! I’m starting to have quite some fun with my mm6

I kinda figured it was a trademark issue…

another few questions on sounds:
1) are there also mellotron choir sounds?
2) what about hohner d6 clavinet and/or hohner electra-piano?there some “clavis” but don’t sound quite like that

Thanks